Friday 30 March 2012

Thinking Time

A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought.  There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor  ~ Victor Hugo


This week has been a fast one. I attended the Spring Conference hosted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing on Wednesday and yesterday, I had an office day with my financial services company. Both of which I enjoyed hugely. It never ceases to amaze me how The Universe conspires to throw new ideas at me at any given opportunity. Mind you, give me an opportunity to learn something new and I am a very happy bunny. I am an eternal student and I embrace any learning opportunity.


I have been feeling a bit impatient with myself for not getting on with planning my Event, getting things sorted. The Conference on Wednesday reassured me there were good reasons for going softly, softly. Much of my idea is still amorphous and that's not a bad thing. It's meant I've had the time to think things through. What I learnt on Wednesday, I'll be able to put to good use. How exactly, I'm still working through. 


What has come through very strongly, is that the business model is changing. Consumers are making the best use of the Internet and are not only making informed decisions about what they buy, but they're also telling other people about their experiences: both good and bad. They are more invested in the companies they purchase their goods and services from. The old business model, the big corporations telling people what they want and how they'll get it, is giving way to the new. Consumers are asking pertinent questions about business values, ethics and provenance and voting with their feet.


Cost of the new product and service is being taken into account, but, it's not about the cheapest. It's about value. The crop of new, smaller businesses who are providing the unusual, choice and can show provenance like Unbound, Has Bean and Naked Wines are bloodying the noses of their more traditional competition.


It's a very exciting time. And it's a very scary time. The Old ways are a-changing and do we have the resources to keep up? That's what I'm going to be looking at over the next few weeks. Have you any thoughts on the subject? If you're feeling shy, e-mail me. It's on my profile page, or leave a comment on here. I would love to hear of your experiences and thoughts on the subject...or actually, on any subject (this does not include Spammers. If you Spam me, you will be deleted).


Oh yeah, and I've very much appreciate it if you would support my Facebook Page and twitter (I'm @lighthouse_n), I need your luvin! 

11 comments:

  1. I have been watching Mary Portas knicker manufacturing on C4... amazing that such a small work force produced so much. I now want her knickers... apparently there is a slogan in the gusset - support your country! - which tickled me.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I tried this earlier...

    The only constant in life is change, is it not? Planning slowly is a very good thing. Seems you are on the right track!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello lovely. Your comment made it through! Yay!

      Well, I do hope so. Time will tell!

      Delete
  3. Not sure things are changing that much Roses, or maybe not for the better. We still have big corporations telling people what they'll get - just big corporations with friendly faces like Apple and Google.
    Meanwhile small companies - or companies who can't manipulate fast enough - go to the wall.

    Which, erm, isn't to say I'm not hoping this mysterious event works out great for you...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Things are a-changin' and whether they will be for the good or ill, is mostly out of our control. What is in our control is how we face these changes.

      As I type this on my MacBook Pro on a Google blogging platform, I'm going to have to take a pass at the Big Corporation Bashing. They didn't make me use their products and truthfully, for technology, I will only use well established and branded products. I like Microsoft Products too. They suit my needs.

      The point I really came away with, which reinforces what I learnt during my NLP training, is that it's not the strongest that survive, it's the most flexible. Companies who can be responsive to their customers needs; business owners who inventive and imaginative; businesses who walk their talk and trade ethically....these are the people who will survive.

      The Consumer as Idiot, is an idea that is fading fast and businesses that are doing well now are platforms, ethical niche businesses and those who are taking on a more collaborative model.

      The fact of the matter is that in times of recession, more millionaires are made. The spirit of enterprise has got to be fanned and generally loved more.

      To paraphrase Zig Ziglar (really, that really is his name), I am so optimistic, I'd not only go after Moby Dick in a row boat, I'd take the tartare sauce with me!

      Delete
  4. I think that whether the world's changin' or not depends greatly on our basic set of beliefs: if we believe that life is a battle and a constant struggle to survive we will then tend to see only the darker and painful aspects of life without paying much attention to the more enjoying parts which are in greater number than we'd like to think.

    I don't know if the world is actually changing. Well, yes it does, but does it change for the better? What I know is that "I", me, little Jon from Canada, I am changing everyday. I am changing because I want to and I put a lot of time and energy doing so.

    We won't get anything good in our life if we spend most of our spare time complaining, critisizing, and sitting in front of the tv watching the news, sport events or all those shows aimed at distracting us from working on the real issues in our lives.

    Life for me is becomming more and more an intriguing experiment. I'm curius of what I'll be able to make out of it. I'm not after success, performance or achievement but more about learning and exploring all my potential, and doing it MY OWN WAY!

    You were so right on the reply to my comment on your last post about thinking on to big a scale: I still focus way too much on the Idiots!!! They will always be there so why waste my time and energy on them.

    When I went out for a walk, I used to only focus on the dog poop left on the sidewalk by dog owners in spite the fact they are required by law to pick it up. I would rant and bitch about it during the entire walk. Now, I'd rather pay attention to the nice flowerbeds people are keeping in their frontyard (and make sure not to step on the dog poop!!!).

    This is a metaphor, of course. It's all about what one focus his mind on, cause we're always heading in the direction we set or eyes on. Working at changing my beliefs will cause changes in my life after a while, without me having to change the circumstances or the people around me. And if collectively, we change our basic set of beliefs, well...

    Now if only I could be more patient! :D
    Hugs
    Jon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's exactly that! We can't change what goes on outside of us, but we can change how react to things.

      I've come to the realisation that there are no gold stars at the end of a life lived. I used to think if I was a good girl and did everything I was supposed to, everything would be okay. Now I believe if I live my Life the best I can, doing the most I can for the people around me and have as much fun as possible. I am content.

      If you're working to shift outdated beliefs, NLP has a technique called Swish. It's fun and easy to do yourself. If you can find a copy Richard Bandler's Trans-formation - Make your Life Great (yeah I know, cheesy) He's got a good breakdown and it's something you can do to shortcut the process.

      The interesting thing about Life is that where you put your focus, is where your energy goes and what you get. So if you're looking for dog poop, it'll be there; the flowerbeds are there too. But there's much to be said for looking at flowerbeds instead.

      Patience is an over-rated virtue. It's certainly not one of mine!

      Delete
  5. I left a comment here last week and now it's gone... this is the second blog I've returned to and seen that my comment has vanished.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Blogger decided this comment was Spam and when I 'unspammed' it, your other comment popped back again!

      Humpf.

      Delete
  6. I think my comment problems are linked to my temporary blog removal last week. Poo.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Poo indeed.

      And yes, that might be the reason.

      But you're back and now I know, I'll keep an eye out and make sure you don't get consigned to the Spam bin again.

      Delete

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome. Pull up a chair, have a cup of coffee, make yourself at home.